Most of you have been teaching for several weeks. Patterns are probably beginning to emerge and classroom routines are probably making you feel more comfortable than you were when you started. Can you still see the teacher that you started this semester wanting to be? Are you satisfied that you're actually teaching or are you concerned that you may be getting immersed in playing the "game of school*?" Assess your teaching so far. What are you doing well, and what do you know you need to work on? What evidence are you seeing for both your successes and difficulties? What are you determined to change and why?
After my placement at the middle school, I realized that I'm "better" at teaching than I thought I would be. I found that it was easy to relate to the students and find real life examples and science activities that interested them and helped them learn the content. I also found that I did a good job with finding different ways to deliver my lessons. I've also found that I still need to work on my classroom management techniques and keeping kids on task and not letting them let me go off on tangents. At the end of my 7 weeks at the middle school, I had the students do an evaluation of me asking them what I did that was helpful to them and what were some ways I could improve my teaching. The students agreed on the lessons that I have done with them were interactive and memorable, but I do need to work on my discipline, which I found a little surprising that they did recognize that they were "wild" at times.
For my second placement at the high school, I think because I know the content more, I will be able to do better lessons, as well as finding ways to keep the students involved since I have been doing that well. I hope to be able to improve my classroom management skills and work on keeping my students on task. Since the high school students in my morning class are extremely tired while my afternoon classes are high energy, I will have to find new ways for me to control two different crowds. I think once I have my discipline strategies in motion, I will be able to reach more students with the content (since they'll be awake hopefully).
After my placement at the middle school, I realized that I'm "better" at teaching than I thought I would be. I found that it was easy to relate to the students and find real life examples and science activities that interested them and helped them learn the content. I also found that I did a good job with finding different ways to deliver my lessons. I've also found that I still need to work on my classroom management techniques and keeping kids on task and not letting them let me go off on tangents. At the end of my 7 weeks at the middle school, I had the students do an evaluation of me asking them what I did that was helpful to them and what were some ways I could improve my teaching. The students agreed on the lessons that I have done with them were interactive and memorable, but I do need to work on my discipline, which I found a little surprising that they did recognize that they were "wild" at times.
For my second placement at the high school, I think because I know the content more, I will be able to do better lessons, as well as finding ways to keep the students involved since I have been doing that well. I hope to be able to improve my classroom management skills and work on keeping my students on task. Since the high school students in my morning class are extremely tired while my afternoon classes are high energy, I will have to find new ways for me to control two different crowds. I think once I have my discipline strategies in motion, I will be able to reach more students with the content (since they'll be awake hopefully).